


Keys and Thimbles

by YourFavoriteRobot



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-17
Updated: 2011-07-17
Packaged: 2017-10-22 02:32:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/232750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YourFavoriteRobot/pseuds/YourFavoriteRobot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An education.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keys and Thimbles

**Author's Note:**

> _She said out of pity for him, ‘I shall give you a kiss if you like,’ but though he once knew, he had long forgotten what kisses are, and he replied, ‘Thank you,’ and held out his hand, thinking she had offered to put something into it._ -J.M. Barrie

“Doctor, what is a kiss?”

“What is a-- what have you been doing? I thought you were getting tea for us before we departed. Did you forget what I told you?”

“No, Doctor, I didn’t. The cups, hot water and little bags with a string, I remembered, but the room where you told me I’d find them--”

“Kitchen.”

“Yes, the kitchen, it wasn’t at all where you said it was. I found an enormous room filled with these in it’s place.” She held up a book with a picture of a man and women drawn in a romantic embrace, the pair of them exhibiting large amounts of their dubiously rendered anatomy. The Doctor frowned.

“I thought I jettisoned that section of the library into space after Tegan left. Ah, never mind. We will just have to head out without it. Not really recommended you know, starting an adventure after skipping tea, but needs must, fate of the universe and all that.” He smiled and made to turn away to the console.

“Doctor, you didn’t answer my question.”

“Didn’t I? Ah, no, I suppose not. What was your question again?” The Doctor shoved his hands in his pockets and tried again to remind himself that he only found this hours-old construct exceptionally beautiful in the most platonic of ways.

“What is kissing, Doctor? Kisses, kissing, a kiss. I don’t know the word.”

“Well I suppose I should just be glad you didn’t read any further.”

The Doctor considered for a moment and then reached in to his pocket. After a bit of digging, he produced a little silver thimble. “Well that is apt,” he mumbled to himself. He placed that little bit of metal in her hand. “Here you are then. A kiss, for you.” The Doctor smiled his best smile at her but she only blinked down in confusion at the thimble in her hand.

“This can’t be right, can it Doctor?” He watched as a little frown furrowed the brow of her pretty face.

“Well, what do you think?” She considered for a moment. She nodded surely.

“I don’t think that’s how it works. I think it’s like...” And then she reached up and pressed the thimble to the Doctor’s lips, and looked up at him with wide curious eyes.

“Why did you do that?” The Doctor asked gently once she pulled the thimble away.

“I like you. I like to hear you talk and I like to look at you. I keep thinking that I should look at other things—there are so many things that I haven’t seen before, even just here in the TARDIS— but I just keep looking at you, and it makes the corners of my mouth turn up when I do.”

The Doctor stood quite still for a moment and then took the tracer-made-girl by the hand, holding the thimble between her tiny one and his larger. He leaned down, closing his eyes as he drew her in closer.

“Doctor what are y--” She was silenced by a soft kiss. After a moment she gathered that she was to close her eyes as well. Soon she felt a bit tingly, not unlike when she was near a segment, but warmer and deep in her chest. She could feel he cheeks get hot and was suddenly compelled to touch the Doctor. Uncertain what to do she put her hand over his chest, wondering as she felt the double beat under her hand if he felt the same tingling that she did.

“What was that, Doctor?” she asked when she pulled away, finding herself touching her lips as she stared up at him.

The Doctor looked like a man who had just let his better judgement slide for a moment. He faced down at the console, not wanting to met her eyes. “It’s a thimble. Now, no more time for questions. We really must be off.” The Doctor pulled his hat from his pocket and took a moment to compose himself, before turning back to her with a smile.

“Just one more thing?” The tracer asked, adjusting the strap of the satchel at her side. “Do you think that you could do that again sometime, the thimble? I rather liked it.”

The Doctor looked quite surprised, and then laughed fondly. “If you like, once we have this all sorted out, I’ll even teach you how to sew.”

She smiled, quite pleased. Whatever sewing was, she was certain that if it involved the Doctor, it would be wonderful.


End file.
